


A Stranger's Breathing

by CasanovaStrider



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Kidnapping, M/M, Molestation, Pedophilia, Stalking, underage molestation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-26
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-25 20:29:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3823948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CasanovaStrider/pseuds/CasanovaStrider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a man stalks Dave, things get out of hand. The man's goal is to take young boy's, torture them, and make them his privet killing team. He see's Dave as the perfect candidate. Will Bro and Dirk be able to save their little brother from this cruel fate? Or will Dave be forced to submit to the Darkness?</p><p>This is a story based off a dream I had.<br/>Let's just say, I watch to much Criminal Minds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It Begins

The Strider's lived a relatively comfortable life in their 3 bedroom house in the middle of Texas. They had moved here when Dave was little, agreeing that they needed a place to stay that was bigger. Bro had a nice job as a website designer. Dirk was in a college of robotics. Dave was in his third year of high school. 

Being the baby brother of the family, Bro and Dirk were overly protective of him. It drove Dave up the wall. Until it happened. 

* * *

 

Dave sat in his living room, mindlessly watching the T.V. That was until Bro walked in.

"Hey kiddo. The dog got out and ran off. You mind going to look for him?" he asks. Dave groans.

"I guess..." he slips on his ratty ass converses and stands up to stretch. Bro poked him in the stomach. 

"If you can't find him within the hour, me and Dirk will come get ya and help you out." Dave nods. 

"Okay... see you later." and with that he walked out the door and started on a small trail that led into the forest. The little pug often ran in the woods so he would look there first. 

"Kippy! Where are you, you dumb dog..." he sighs, looking in bushes. He scratches his head. "Come _on_ its hot... I wanna go back inside..." he whines. He hears a crack and crunching of leaves. He turns to face the noise.

"...Kippy...?" He walks towards the noise, body on high alert. His eyes scan the area behind his shades. "Come on dog..." He stops and sighs. The crunching of leaves sounded again. He whizzed around. 

"Dirk...? If your trying to scare me it isn't funny man..." he accused. He walked a bit forward. He didn't realize someone was behind him until he was shoved into a near by tree. The breath was knocked out of him when he hit the bark. A man pins him against said tree.

"So we finally meet... David.." The man said, voice dripping with bad intentions. Dave's eyes widen, which were now visible since his shades were knocked off.

"What...? I-I don't know you... let me go.." he says, trying to wrench his wrists free of the mans grasp. He felt vulnerable as this man towered over him and was mostly muscle. The man chuckles. The kind of chuckle that sends burning cold shivers down your spine.

"Now why would I do that? We only just started talking...~ And you can _try_ to call for help.. but I doubt anyone will hear you~" he says running a hand down Dave's chest. Dave starts getting a bit panicked. 

"I don't want to talk to you... Just let me go and I won't call the police..." he tells him. The man laughs darkly and throws Dave to the ground. He stood over him.

"When I'm done with you... You won't be able to talk." He says, face going dark. Dave's eyes widen further as the man kicked him across the face. Dave spat out blood, trying to hold back tears but was failing miserably. The man grabs him by the front of the shirt.

"I'm going to make you my bitch, David... and then... you will do what I'm doing to you... to other boys..." he says, their noses almost touching. 

"I-If my brother's find you.. they will kill you..." Dave tells him. The man smirks. 

"Lets see them find me first~" he chuckles. Dave was pale with fear. He was going to die here wasn't he? 

The man pinned Dave's hands above his head with one of his own larger hands. Dave was breathing heavily, as he was starting to have a panic attack. The man's free hand made quick work of Dave's belt, undoing his pants just as fast. He was licking Dave's neck, causing his pulse to increase. 

"mmm~ You smell so good David.. taste like candy as well~" he purred, making Dave's skin crawl. 

* * *

 

Bro watched out the window waiting for Dave to come back. What he see's surprises him. Kippy came running out of the forest, but no sign of Dave. This came across as odd to Bro, as Dave was really good at finding Kippy when he got out. 

"Dirk! Come on kid, were going to go find your brother." he calls. Dirk came downstairs. 

"Why? Where is he?" 

"I dunno. He should have been back by now.." He heads out, Dirk right on his tail. Bro didn't know what was up, but he had a bad feeling in his gut.

* * *

 

 

Dave was full out sobbing at this point. The man was touching him all over, leaving bite marks everywhere, from his neck, to his chest, to his hips. He started to work on his inner thighs as he reached up Dave's boxers and began fondling him. Dave freezes when he is touched there. No one had ever touched him there. He was only 17 after all. That's when he heard it.

"Dave?! Where are you man?" it was Dirk. The man above him growled. 

"It looks like our time has run out David... until next time~" He got up and ran off. Where, Dave didn't know. He curls up on himself and sobs. How could he be so weak?!

"Dave...?" Dirk came from behind him. Bro turned to where Dirk was looking "Oh my god Dave..!" Dirk and Bro ran over to him. Bro got on his knees and hesitates to touch him at first, before touching his hair gently. Dave flinched slightly. 

"Dave? What happened? Who did this to you?" Bro asks. Dave scratches at Bro's jeans before promptly fainting. This alarmed The older two. Bro quickly fixed Dave's pants before lifting him up. "Were taking him to the hospital right now." Bro announces, taking off. Dirk follows close behind. They got back to the house and get in the car. Bro drives off to the nearest hospital as Dirk pets Dave's hair in the back seat.

 


	2. Hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter because I love this story =v= R&R~

The trip to the hospital was painstakingly long to the older Strider boy's. Bro pulled into the emergency drive through.

"Go in with Dave, I will be in after I park." Bro tells Dirk. Dirk nods and lifts Dave out, helping doctors place him on a gurney. 

"Sir please explain what happened." A doctor tells Dirk.

"He went out to find the dog, and when he took to long, me and our brother went to find him. He was like this when we found him, we don't know what happened." Dirk tells them, panicking slightly. 

"He will be okay, were just going to check out his Jaw and disinfect these bite wounds." The doctor explains. "We will also check for signs of forced entry." He says. Dirks eyes widen. Bro finally got in. Dirk was sitting in the waiting room with his head on his knee's. 

"Have they told us how he is doing?" Bro asks. Dirk shakes his head. About an hour later a doctor comes out.

"Family of David Strider?" he announced. Dirk and Bro stand up immediately. 

"How is he?" Dirk asks.

"Well, we disinfected the bite wounds... His jaw was fractured quite badly. I'm assuming he came into contact with something like a steel toed boot." he says. "There were no signs of forced entry, which means David was not raped... but there were signs of attempt... Bruising around his wrists, thighs and throat tell us that..." He tells him "Not to mention the numerous amount of bites. We took samples of the saliva left behind, and sent it to be looked at. He is very lucky boy. If you two didn't didn't find him when you did.. well... he would be in a lot worse shape." 

"Thank you doctor... can we see him?" Bro asks. Dirk was still absorbing the information. The doctor nods and leads him to the room where Dave was resting. They were left alone in the room once the nurse left.

They stared at Dave silently for a moment before sitting at his side. Dirk tentatively runs a finger over his bruised wrists.

"...why would anyone try to hurt Dave...?" Dirk says mostly to himself.

"I don't know kid... I do know that if we find the bastard that did this to him, he is good as dead.." he says lowly. Dirk nods in agreement. Dave groans as he fades back into consciousness. 

"Dave... are you alright...?" Dirk asks. Dave blinks in the harsh light of the white room, wincing slightly. It seemed like everything flooded back to him as his face slowly form into that of panic. His heart monitor starts beeping rapidly. 

"Dave calm down your fine your okay..." Bro stood and touched his face gently, making sure Dave saw him. When Dave registered his face, he slowly calmed down. 

"Where... where are we...?" Dave asks quietly.

"We are in the hospital... Dave... what happened?" Bro asks. Dave exhales shakily. 

"I-I went to look for the dog.... I heard noises from somewhere... I thought it was Dirk trying to scare me..." He starts. "But then, some guy through me against a tree... Really tall guy... big..." He shudders a bit. "He said something... Like... we finally meet... But I didn't know him... He said he was going to..." He stops and swallows. "He said he was going to make me his bitch..." He says shakily as tears started to fall. "I don't remember what happened after that.. I just felt him touching me and biting me..." he looks up at his brothers. "I-I was afraid that you wouldn't find me..." 

Dirk looks at bro and they hug Dave. 

"It's okay now Dave... The cops will find him and take him away... Don't worry... we will protect you." Bro tells him. Dave nods. He wanted nothing more then to forget. 

* * *

Dave was allowed to go home two days later. The cops did a profile on the man, interviewing Dave. He was exhausted. 

When they got back home, Dave wore mostly hoodies and sweatpants to cover the marks and bruising. He didn't go to school. Bro wasn't going to force him either. He knew Dave needed time to get over the incident. But he was worried when Dave started refusing Dinner.  

"Come on Dave. Eat a little bit of it at least?" Dirk asks. Dave shakes his head.

"I... I'm not hungry." he mumbled. 

"Come on kiddo you need to keep your strength up..."Bro tried. Dave just shakes his head. He sighs. "Fine... but I want to see you eating breakfast tomorrow." 

Dave walked off back to his room. They wait till they hear his door close to sigh. 

"What are we going to do?" Dirk asks. 

"We just have to be patient... He will come around." 

* * *

Silence filled Dave's bedroom as he slid down his closed door. He hugs his knees and sighs shakily. He knew he wouldn't sleep again tonight. He didn't want to dream of that man again. After a few moments, he gets up and sits in on the windowsill. He looks up at the moon and sighs, unaware of the prying eyes not to far away. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading~


	3. Sing Me to Sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello~ lots of feedback on this story, so heres another chapter!

That night, Dave passed out in his floor. He woke up violently to the nightmears. He cries for a minute before getting up to rush to the bathroom where he threw up what little was in his stomach. Dirk came in after hearing him rush out of his bedroom. He winces at the dry heaving. He gets down next to him and rubs his back. 

"It's okay Dave... just let it out man..." He whispers to him. Dave was pretty much sobbing at this point.

When Dirk thought he was done, he whiped Daves face off with a tissue and flushed it down with the rest of his waste. Dirk leans back against the wall and pulls Dave close to him. Dave gripped him tightly and cried into his shoulder. Dirk rubbed his back and whispered comforting things to him. They stayed this way until Dave fell back asleep, leaning against Dirk. Dirk didn't want to disturbe him cause he knew he needed sleep, so he ended up falling asleep there too. 

That morning, Bro, walked up stairs to wake the youngers up for breakfast. He was a bit curious when he didn't find Dirk in his room. He panic's a bit when he finds Dave missing from his room. HE looks into the bathroom and sighs. He ruffles Dirks hair to wake him up. 

"uh... what...?" he wakes up with a hella lot of back pain, not to mention his butt was numb from the tile. He groans a bit. 

"What happend?" Bro asks, looking over the two.

"Uh... Oh... Dave came out of his room at like 3 last night..." he rubs his face. "He started just puking his guts out and crying. So I just hugged him and he fell asleep. Hasn't moved since then." Dirk finishes explaining. Bro nods and pets Dave hair gently. 

"Well... Lets get him to bed and let him sleep a bit longer."

"I don't know if he should sleep alone... I think thats why he is sleeping okay now... because he knows im here too." he says. Bro nods. 

"Well... lets try to get him to eat some and then we will see if he wants to do anything after that..." Bro tells him. Dirk nods. Dirk rubs Dave's arm gently. 

"Hey kiddo... time to wake up..." He tells him. Dave woke up slowly, as if putting the action off. He sits up slowly and sighs softly. He rubs his face. 

"Come on little man. Let's go eat some breakfast." Bro tells him. Dave looks at him for a few moment before standing. 

"okay..." he starts downstairs. Bro helps Dirk stand. Dirk groans and pops his back and follows after Dave. Bro came downstairs, seeing that Dave was slowly working his way through a cinnimon roll. He knew they were Dave's favorite. Especially homemade ones. He grins. He gives Dirk his usual sugary ass coffee and gives Dave apple juice, ruffling his hair before sitting. They ate together in a comfortable silence. Dave ate two cinnimon rolls before claming he was full. He sips his juice slowly. 

"I bought a new adventure time disk yesterday." Dirk says. "We should watch it." he says and looks between them through his shades. Dave rubs his eyes under his own eyewear. 

"Cool, I've been meaning to get that." Bro says. "Whatcha say little man?" Dave shrugs.

"Sure I guess." he says. Bro nods and cleans off the table while Dirk sets up the Xbox. Dave sat on the couch and hugged his legs while he waited. He was trying to keep his mind ocupied by listening to Bro wash dishes. He came and sat next to Dave. Dirk sat on the otherside of Dave and started it up. They watched for a bit, laughing every so offten, save for Dave, who just gave a breathy chuckle. Bro was happy that he was somewhat happy, but wanted to hear Dave's actual laugh. He always laughed harder then the rest of them, purely because he was just the most energetic. 

After about four episodes, Dave started to nod off. Bro and Dirk noticed, but didn't say anything. Dave eventually gave in and slumped over, leaning on Bro's shoulder. Bro laid him downso his head was resting in his lap. He pets his hair as he sleeps, knowing he despertly needed it. After a few minutes he notices Dirk starting to nod off. He rolls eyes.

He lays down and shifts Dave so he was laying on his chest. He pulls Dirk over and hugs him close to his side. Dirk hugged his brothers and dozed off. Bro looks at his two brothers and sighs softly. He did'nt want his family hurt. He worked so hard to keep them together... he wouldn't let some bastered tear them apart. Or Dave. He hugs them protectively and hums softly. A song he always sang to them when they were little and had bad dreams.

_'Constant as the stars above, always know that you are loved... and my love shining in you, will help you make your dreams come true... will help you make your dreams come true...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song at the end is "Constant as the Stars Above" From my fav barbie movie. The song is really sweet but it's ironic in a way for Bro to sing it but i love itttttt and he would sing it super deeeppppp ahhhh


	4. Travelling by Ambulance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to Travelling by Ambulance by Monarchy while reading this. Just on loop. Plz. ugh. Also, I changed 'Bro' to 'Broderick' because it was starting to bug me. The repetition that is.
> 
> Sorry for the late update I've been super busy getting things ready for artist alley. uvu If you like what you read, leave kudos, a comment, and don't forget to bookmark! Really inspires me to write!

Dave slowly started to get better. He was slow when reacting to things. He still had nightmares, but nothing to bad since Dirk or Broderick would sleep with him.

He watched as Dirk and Broderick strifed in the backyard through the window, not wanting to go outside. It was a sunny Saturday. A good day to stay outside. Dave wouldn't. He wasn't ready. His friends would come over to see him, unaware of what had really happened to Dave. No one knew except cops, doctors, and the Striders. Everyone just assumed he was super sick.

He shakes his head at the thought. He wasn't sick... was he? He sighs. Maybe a little. Sick of being treated like a fragile doll that would break. Sure he felt that way, but his brothers shouldn't feel the need to dance around him. He hated it. He sighs and turns away from the window. He only froze at what he saw.

A rose in the middle of the floor along with a note. He looked around cautiously with wide eyes, making sure that absolutely nothing was near him. He picks up the note carefully and reads it. HE covers his mouth to keep from throwing up. He shouted for his brothers who immediately were inside, ready to fend for his brother who was sitting in the corner shaking and crying. The scan the area before turning to Dave.

"What's wrong Dave? What is that?" Broderick takes the note from him and reads it getting angry.

"H-He was in the house. He was behind me and I-I didn't even know... He could have..." Dave stopped talking as he rushed to the bathroom where he threw up. Broderick followed him quickly. Dirk picked up the note and read it.

**_'We will be together again, sweet David. I promise to never let you go next time. Until then. XOXOXO'_ **

Dirk clenches his teeth and goes and calls the police. 

Dave was throwing up everything in his stomach, and then some. Broderick rubs his back, fuming about the fact that that freak who hurt his brother was in his house.

"I-I don't want to be afraid anymore...! I'm so.. so tired of all of this...!" Dave sobs and cries, leaning his head on the toilet. It broke Broderick's heart to hear his baby brother say that. It tore him to shreds.

"I promise Dave... it won't happen again... I'm not leaving your side until this bastard is caught. I promise." He hugs Dave close. Dirk came in.

"I called the police... they are searching the area and coming here to investigate..." he tells them. He sits on the floor and hugs Dave too. 

* * *

The cops came and investigated. They said the a neighbor had actually called before them, saying a strange man had been sneaking around in their yard before going inside. They wrote down a description of the vehicle he had driven off in. They posted a cop to drive around every thirty minutes, patrolling the neighborhood 24/7. Dave locked himself up in his room. Absolutely refusing to go out of the room. 

Dave sat in his room on the bed. He had stuffed himself in the corner against the wall so he could see the entire room. He wrapped his blanket around his entire body. he was protecting himself. He knew his brothers stayed near by, but, he still didn't feel safe. Home was all he had left, now it was gone. He rubs his arms as tears started falling again. He couldn't sleep. He wouldn't let himself. His brothers would come to the door, asking him to come eat. Dave would always reply that he wasn't hungry. They would sigh and go back downstairs, and try again a few hours later.

The weariness was starting to kick in. He hadn't slept or ate in 32 hours now. He was exhausted but wouldn't give in. He didn't want to dream. A knock on his door startled him.

"Dave please come out. You need to eat. I don't want to take you to the hospital again...." Broderick called. Dave bites his lip.

"...I can't...." he says softly, weakly. He knew the other could hear him though.

"Dave you sound sick. Please let me in. I don't want to kick in the door." He says. Dave sighs and gets up on shaky legs, only to fall over. Hearing the fall, Broderick just busted the lock with one good twist and walked in. He gets down next to Dave and touches his head.

"Jesus kid your burning hotter then the summer...! Come on you gotta go to the doctor..." he picks the boy up. Dirk, who was standing near by, followed him out.

"I knew we should have came in sooner..." he says, putting him in the car. Dirk held him close with a icepack, holding it against his head to see if he could bring the fever down any.

Broderick prays for the first time in a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> R&R


	5. It's Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back my children~ Gather around as I tell you more about Dave's troubles~
> 
> enjoy~

Malnourished, dehydrated, sleep deprived.

Dave had a fever of 103 when he was brought in. They told Broderick and Dirk that, If they had not gotten to him when they did, he would be dead.

They didn't know what to think. Dave was in critical condition, temperature trying to rise, even though they were trying to bring it down. They even put him in a tub of ice to bring it down. Only did this work after almost an entire hour. They then bundled him up in many blankets to help him sweat out the fever. Even here at the hospital, a police stayed outside his room. The only one's allowed in the room was Family and Doctors.

Dave stayed unconscious well into the next day. He woke up, glad to know the lights were off, but displeased with how hot it was. He groans and opens his heavy eyelids. He glanced around, vision blurry, to barely make out the form of his brothers, who were staring at him with the same worried, orange eyes.

He opened his mouth to speak, but grimaced at how dry his mouth and throat were. Seeming to know exactly what was wrong, Broderick helped him sit up to drink some water. He did his best not to just guzzle it down, taking small sips instead. Once his mouth didn't feel like a desert, he spoke.

"Where am I...?" his voice was weak from lack of use.

"The hospital little man. You had a really bad fever. They had to put you in a tub of ice for like an hour." Broderic tells him. Dave stares at him for a moment.

"...I'm sorry... I..."

"You don't need to apologize. We should have came in anyway. It isn't your fault. None of this is your fault." Dirk tells him quickly. Dave bites a chapped lip.

"He's right Dave. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. It's _my_ job to protect you two." Broderick says. Dave shakes his head.

"This... this all started because my guard was down... If it was up I could have gotten away..." He sighs shakily. "I don't want to be afraid anymore. I don't want to be afraid to leave my room. I'm tired of it... I just want to everything to go back to the way it was..." he admits closing his eyes tightly. "I don't want to feel _broken_ and _miserable_. I don't want to feel so _weak_."he fiddles with his IV.

"It will all be over soon. They found another lead to the guy. They found his car. They are tracing him now." Dirk says with a small smile. Dave nods slightly.

_'I just want to be whole again.'_

* * *

 

Dave was allowed to leave the hospital a week later. He sat on the couch now, eating some random chips he found in the pantry. He had felt slightly more content now since Broderick and Dirk weren't treating him like a wounded animal. He was still slightly unnerved about the fact that they still haven't found the guy, but he wasn't too worried. A cop came over and checked on him when ever Broderick or Dirk had work or school. (Dave insisted that they go. Money shouldn't be wasted after all.) The cop came around every hour, checking around the outside of the house and greeting Dave before driving off.  It was only two different cops that would do it, as they figured it would help Dave be more comfortable if it was the same familiar faces. 

Dave sighs softly and turns the TV off. He glances around the living room before standing up to stretch.  A knock sounded on the door. Dave looks at his cell phone. 2:00 PM. Should be one of the cops bringing him the mail, he thinks. He sighs and goes to open the door.

"You have a key, why knock--" He stops breathing. The cop before him was not just any cop.

It was him.

Dave stood there, eyes wide and full of fear. His legs shook, everything in him telling him to move and run, scream for help. But he couldn't. He was petrified. The man just smiled.

"Good evening, David. Your looking much better today. I must say, I did miss you so very much." he grins. Dave blinks as he comes back to his senses. His eye's narrow.

"What makes you think you can come here? Cops are surrounding this place all the time. And my brothers will be home any minute." Dave says, trying to take a stand for himself. Not a lot a 17 year old could do to stand up to a grown man though. A normal 17 year old, that is.

"Well we better not waste anytime then hm?" He reaches out for Dave quickly, the blond reacted quickly, moving out of reach before slamming the door shut. He then tore off down the hall to reach the stairs. He heard the stranger come in and come after him. He had to get to the nearest room.

He quickly locked the door. He looked to the window. He quickly worked on unlocking it to escape. By the time he had pried the window open, the stranger had busted in. Dave breaths deeply, knowing that this was gonna hurt. He quickly jumped out the window, only to be grabbed by the stranger around the wrist. Dave claws at the hand, struggling to break free as the man began to pull him up. Once he was leveled enough, Dave braces his feet on the windowsill and pulls hard, making the man bash his face on the window. Of course, this made him let Dave go, causing Dave to fall. Dave lays there for a few moments, trying to suck in air. He was sure his shoulder was broken. He winces as he sits up, only to be slugged across the face. Dave looked up to see the man standing above him.

Dave was running out of ideas, and his whole body was aching and screaming. When the man leans closer, Dave kicks him straight in the balls and scrambles away. He ran around the corner of the house, only to run into a solid figure and land on his butt. He grimaces and looks up.

"Bro--!"

"Where is he Dave." Dave blinks. He didn't have to answer as the man came around the corner, seething.

"You little bitch! You wont get away that easily!" He stops when he see's Broderick and Dirk standing over their brother protectively.

"I could say the same for you." Dave says with a small smirk. The man clenches his teeth. His nose was obviously broken, not to mention the bloody scratch marks all over his arm. Broderick was proud of Dave.

Broderick and Dirk flash step so fast that when the man blinked, their faces were in his, Orange eyes on fire with fury.

They slam their fist into his face, sending the man flying backwards. He stood and They leap, not giving the man anytime to react, placing a solid kick straight to the chest. They hear several cracks.

Right as they were about to inflicted more damage, Dave stands in between them. They look at him confused until they see Dave's face.

He looked calm, but his eyes gave away his intent. So the brothers backed off and allowed Dave to do as he pleased, curious to see what he was going to do.

Dave walked up close and gave a solid kick across his face. He then grabbed his collar and brought his face close.

 

" _Your going to be someone's bitch... everything you did to other boys is going to happen to you_." 

 

The man's eyes widen at the look Dave had. His eyes practically glowed in his hate-filled stare.

Dave throws him back and places a knee over the mans vital regions. He grips his face, nails digging into the mans flesh. 

"I hope when ever you try to use the bathroom or some one is using you, you will think of this moment." The man had no time to retort before Dave brought his knee down, hard. The man screamed and Dave watched with a straight face. He watched every flicker of pain and anguish in the man until he finally passed out from it. Dave released his face and stood. He turns to Dirk and Broderick, eye's still alight with his previous adrenalin. His eyes slowly calm down, as do his facial features. His shoulders slump slightly, and Broderick caught him before his knees hit the ground. Dirk comes over and Broderick pulls him down to hug both his brothers. It was over. 

A cop came by a little after that, arresting the man and taking him to the hospital, as Dave was escorted to the hospital by ambulance.

"Dave, we are so proud of you." Broderick tells him.

"Didn'... wanna be... a shell again..." Dave says raspy like behind the oxygen mask. The two look at each other before looking back to Dave.

"You did the right thing." Dirk says. Dave nods.

"I know.... but... I know... I will never be able to out grow this... I will remember it... always remember... a strangers breathing..."

 

** END **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YUP. 
> 
> Imma post a short follow up chapter after this one.


	6. Safe and Sound

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter.

Dave sat in the back yard on a bench. It had been a week since the stranger was arrested. Dave's arm was in a cast, and had a few gauze band aids wrapped his wrist where he was scratched.

Broderick and Dirk sat next to Dave.

"...What you said to that guy... before he passed out... did... did he say that to you?" Dirk asks. Dave closes his eyes.

"Yeah... I remember everything he said to me. But... It doesn't affect me like it used to...." He tells them.

"You know... a cop just left... turns out? That man died in prison the first day he arrived. Everyone there knew who he was and what he had done. Not only to you, but other kids too. They raped him several times and let him bleed to death in the shower." Broderick tells him.

"He got what was coming to him." Dave says flatly. 

Dirk and Broderick glance at each other.

"What was that Dave? You were like, a totally different person when you attacked him...." Dirk says. Dave shrugs. 

"I don't know, to be honest.... I don't even remember what happened after you two showed up. I just remember telling him what he told me." He sighs. "Like my body acted on it's own... all I know is that I woke up on that ambulance and talking to you guys." he looks to them. "But it's over. I just want to live like we used to."

Broderick smiles and ruffles his hair.

"We can do that." he tells him.

Dave smiles. The first real smile anyone has seen on Dave in almost three months.

"Good. How about we all go watch TV?" Dave asks. They nod and head inside.

They all huddled on the couch and watched Adventure time. And Dave's laugh's were genuine, and It couldn't make the Strider's happier.

* * *

 

They all had fallen asleep on the couch. Broderick hugged his brother close, knowing he was safe once more. Dave woke up slightly to Dirk shifting slightly, moving his arms tighter around Dave's waist.

Dave finally felt warmth spreading through him again as he touched Dirks hair gently. He places his other hand over one of Broderick's arms, which was wrapped protectively around Dave's shoulders. He wasn't cold with fear. No. He was warm with the feeling of security, here in his brothers arms. He smiles softly.

Safe and Sound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading. It means so much to me that you stuck through to the end. Please Review your final thoughts, and follow me for more stories in the feature. You guys really inspire me to write. And I appreciate all the kind words!
> 
> FEEL FREE TO REQUEST PROMPTS!!! SEND TO MY INBOX!!!
> 
> Till the next Tale~
> 
> -CasanovaStrider


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